Good news! After a period of closure, York Castle Museum’s iconic Kirkgate is opening just in time for the festive season. The atmospheric Victorian street really is one of the most magical spots in York at Christmas, with a smattering of snow on the cobbles and vintage shop fronts decked with all the trimmings. Admission is included in the general admission price from 8th December to 7th January 2024, and there’ll be family-friendly activities to enjoy too.

On selected dates throughout the holiday season, Scrooge will appear on Kirkgate! Included with a general admission ticket, enjoy a family-friendly re-telling of Charles Dickens’ festive novel A Christmas Carol. It’s a unique York experience, and one that our children still talk about after first seeing it when they were very little. After-hours Scrooge will also return for adult-only evening performances at an additional cost.  

A Victorian green-clad Father Christmas will be on Kirkgate welcoming visitors every weekend throughout December until Christmas. The Father Christmas of this time was known for bringing jollity, talking of food, feasting, games, dancing and songs. Visitors will be welcome to join in, and to make their own Christmas card. 

On Sundays, including Christmas Eve, the cobbles will ring to the sound of carol singers singing traditional songs which will bring smiles to the faces and warm hearts even on the coldest of days. 

As well as experiencing the Christmas cheer on Kirkgate, visitors can step back in time as they stroll through some of thepopular Period Rooms, from a 17th-century dining room to a Victorian worker’s cottage. 

For younger children, the award-winning Story Craft Theatre will bring some cute Museum Mice to life with puppets, games and lots of fun for all the family followed by a craft activity on several weekdays. 

Victorian Christmas at York Castle Museum – 8th December 2023 to 7th January 2024